Japanese

Is Japanese Hard? The 3 ‘Scary’ Parts Debunked

Is Japanese truly the impossible mountain it's made out to be? We tackle the three biggest fears for aspiring learners—Kanji,…

7 months ago

Japan’s 3 ‘Alphabets’: Why You Need All Three

Ever looked at a Japanese sentence and felt overwhelmed by the mix of characters? You're not alone. This guide demystifies…

7 months ago

You’re Already Speaking Japanese! 15 Loanwords

** Did you know that when you talk about a business 'tycoon' or ask for 'just a skosh' more, you're…

7 months ago

The Sailor Who Mistook a Word for an Island

Explore the strange case of "I-da-no", a phantom island that appeared on Japanese maps for decades. This wasn't a sailor's…

10 months ago

Japan’s ‘Hentaigana’: The Lost Characters

Before Japanese script was standardized in 1900, writers used a vast and beautiful array of variant cursive characters known as…

10 months ago

The Japanese Crossword Puzzle

How do you build a crossword in a language with three writing systems and no spaces? This piece explores the…

10 months ago

Korean vs. Japanese: Which is Easier?

Korean and Japanese share similar grammar, but their writing systems and pronunciation offer very different challenges. Korean's alphabet is famously…

10 months ago

Crash, Sparkle, Grumble: Japan’s Sound Words

Go beyond textbook grammar and discover the soul of the Japanese language: onomatopoeia. This guide breaks down the essential "sound"…

10 months ago

Why We Call It Japan, Not Nippon

Why do we call the "Land of the Rising Sun" Japan instead of its native Nippon? This linguistic puzzle opens…

10 months ago

Counting People in Japanese: The ‘Nin’ Counter

Learning to count in Japanese means mastering counters, and the one for people holds a fascinating secret. While most numbers…

10 months ago

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